Context list categories

07-29-2003, 06:43 AM

I am interested in what folks use as their context list categories. Would folks be willing to share their categories? I am interested in exploring different categories beyond the standard @calls, @computer, @office, etc.

@home
@internet
@boss (a waiting for/agenda category that I can check more often than I check @waitingfor)
@out&amp;about (the king of all categories)
@parents (agenda)
@someday maybe
@waiting for
@work
@done

and, DA would just not approve:
@today

By way of explanation, it makes little sense for me to have separate @work, @phone and @computer lists, since all are things I do while parked in my chair, and my work just doesn't lend itself to making all my calls at one time.

The @today list is something I developed because I have more than one screen of things on my @work list. Each morning I try to pull off the most critical things from @work and move them to @today, then leave this Palm desktop screen up all day so I can focus on those few things without being distracted by the other stuff on the list.

I like someday/maybe as a category in todos rather than as a memo because then it is easy to bounce things from @home (for example) to @someday/maybe and back as I decide whether or not I really need to do them anytime in the near future.

Comment

I'll weigh in with
@Home
@Office
@Car
@Phone
@W Computer
@H Computer
@PDA
Someday
Delegated
@Out/About
:P I find that having a Delegated Context really helps when determining who's resposible for what. I prefix the task with the person's 1st name and file under the context category on the Palm and/ or Outlook.

Comment

@agenda (prefix name with @ in the task like @alice @ted) -- but often many of the items in this category is taken care of in @calls and @email below. -- usually best use for @agenda is for monthly management meeting or weekly meetings with individual or group staff.

@calls

@computer (doesn't matter home or work -- usually have a zip disk with me with work i need on either) -- drafting reports, putting together spreadsheets, powerpoint presentations etc.

@email (separate from computer as i have a blackberry so i can crash thru a lot of emails while traveling)

@errands/store

@home office (bills/mortgage/financial planning/filing at home/some calls that need info that i have at home rather than with me

@home (stuff at home not in home office -- yard/fix it jobs, etc)

@online -- web browsing -- some email where attachments are necessary

@rd/rev/decide -- general category for reading / reviewing/planning/deciding items -- if somethings stays too long in here it will start to putrefy and stink, so it's a dangerous parking place for next actions.

@wtg -- waiting on stuff (i also put delegated projects in here.

i keep someday/maybes and project lists elsewhere so not to clutter up todo application in palm with anything but next actions.

@office (don't use this one much except when i need to run a big copy job or something that requires stuff i have in the office and not elsewhere)

Comment

I work two jobs, both of which have me glued to a chair, phone and computer all day and night. Both jobs are very similar with the exception that I work for someone during the day (Work) and that I work for myself night (Studio).

These are the categories I set up in Outlook and Pocket PC to help me keep my projects straight: